The Stranger
by LarkroseLukos
Summary: Titled for the Joel song. Rico is killed and Kowalski disappears. Skipper and Private are launched into a mystery that will test everything- their sanity, their training, and most of all- their friendship. Rated for gore and character death.
1. Murder

Disclaimer: I don't own POM or anything you recognize.

"Hey Skipper," called Kowalski. "I think I finally got the lights wor-"

The entire HQ went black.

"You were saying, Kowalski?" Skipper said.

Then Skipper heard Rico and Kowalski scream. The lights flickered on. Kowalski was gone and Rico was lying on the floor. There was a scarlet hole where his heart should be. What was worse was that Private was holding a bloody knife.

"Oh my gosh! Rico's de-" Private started. Then he looked on the knife. It dropped out of his flipper.

"I didn't do it?"


	2. Private's Confrontation

From last chapter…

"_I didn't do it?"_

Skipper pinned Private against the stone wall. "Why did you kill Rico?" he demanded.

"Skipper, I-"

"What did you do with Kowalski? TELL ME!"

"I didn't kill him! Please, I'm just a boy. Do you really think I would do it?" Private was shaking.

Skipper released him. His breathing was hard and ragged, his eyes were wide with shock.

"I suppose not. But why was the knife in your hand?"

"The lights went out, and I heard Kowalski scream. Then I heard Rico scream and then someone slipped a knife into my hand. And then… the lights came on. And then I realized I was holding a knife. Then you started yelling at me."

Skipper wiped some sweat off his brow. "On your feet, Private. We're going to find that murderer."

Meanwhile, deep in the sewers, the killer watched, twirling a cigar. "Try, Skipper. Try."


	3. Accusations And Death

Skipper and Private's first stop was Marlene's. The otter was fast asleep, and Skipper would rather not wake her. Then it was the lemurs, also asleep. None of them were dead.

Soon it was time to go to the Zoovineaurs shop.

Skipper sensed something was up.

"Stay out here Private. And if I say run, do as I say."

Private nodded and didn't object his leaders orders.

Skipper crept in. He heard breathing in the darkness. He flipped on the light.

"Kowalski." he whispered.

The tall penguin was strapped to a chair. Skipper went to untie him when he realized what was wrong. There was a bomb tied to the bottom of the chair.

"Skipper," Kowalski said. "Get out."

"Who did this?" Skipper asked.

"This entire place is going to explode in exactly 25.2 seconds." Kowalski's voice was deathly serious. "Run while you can."

Skipper didn't want to leave his friend, but Private was outside waiting for him. And someone needed to avenge Rico's death.

Skipper gave a shaky salute to his soldier. Kowalski nodded, and with that, Skipper belly slid out.

"Hit the deck, Private!" Skipper jumped and pushed Private to the ground.

The entire place exploded.

For a second Sipper felt like sobbing, but hatred boiled up inside him replaced every other feeling.

"What happened in there, Skipper?" asked Private.

"K-kowalski is dead." Skipper's voice was like poison. "He's gone too far. Two penguins? One strike more and he's out."

"Rico and Kowalski? T-they're both…" Private started sobbing.

Skipper patted him on the back. "They are not important right now. The remaining animals are. We need suspects."

Private wiped a tear off his beak. "Yeah. Suspects."

***

"Attention!" yelled Skipper.

Some of the animals began to wake. The lemurs sleepily trudged to the penguin HQ.

"Heck in the what is going on here?" Julian asked. "Even I, kingly and handsomest as I am, am needing my beauty sleep.

Soon Joey the kangaroo, Ted the polar bear, Marlene, the elephant, Phil and Mason, and the chameleons. The dolphins watched from their tank.

"Someone in this zoo has killed two of my men. And none of you are leaving this spot until I learn who."

Panic rose in the crowd.

"The killer would have needed to be fast. Able to slink in and out of small areas quickly. He would have had to be a decent fighter and able to beat Rico and Kowalski."

"It sounds like you're describing yourself. If I were you, little penguin, I'd be careful." Maurice said, eying Skipper.

"And why would I murder my own soldiers? Give me one good reason."

No one answered.

"How do 'e know it wasn't him?" Joey asked, motioning towards Private.

"It wasn't me! I swear!" Tears welled in Private's eyes.

Skipper stepped in front of Private. "Wait. He's just a boy. How could he possibly-"

"So you admit you're the killer." The elephant said.

Marlene jumped up next to Private. "Look, I've known Skipper since I got here, and he may seem all tough and… killery, but he's really quite a softie."

"Thanks, Mar- What did you say?" Skipper said.

"Look," whispered Marlene. "I'm saving your tail here."

Then Minerva, the dark grey she wolf from the new wolf exhibit, rushed in. "Guys!" she yelled. "I just found a dead body!"

***

There it is. The long awaited third chapter. I hope it wasn't too short. And by the way, you will be pretty surprised who the killer is. It's not a lemur and it's not Private. Here's the clue: this story was originally going to be called "The Math Behind Murder" but I changed it to fit the plot better.

I also own Minerva, my OC.

~Lukos


	4. The Killer Is Revealed

The crowd of animals gathered around the limp body of Mort. A large and obvious knife hole was on his side. His eyes were still open in shock; his jaws still agape in a final scream that would never come, frozen forever by cruel, cruel time.

"The blood's still fresh," remarked Private. "However killed him is close."

The animals looked at each other.

"Were any of us missing during Skipper's speech?" Marlene asked.

Phil shook his head.

"Look!" said Maurice. "The manhole to the sewers is open!"

Lying on the open manhole was a bloody knife.

"Whoever it is wants us to go down there," Minerva said shakily. "Why else would he not cover up his footprints?"

Everyone was quiet.

"I'll go down." Skipper leaped in front of them.

"But, Skip-" Private started.

"No, Private. This is man's work. Keep an eye on him, Marlene."

The otter nodded and put an arm around the young penguin.

Private saluted Skipper as he slid down into the darkness.

Was it just him or did his captain just wink at him?

***

Skipper leaped down onto the stone floor. It was almost pitch black in there. He led himself by moving with one flipper on the wall. That's when he heard the familiar flap of bird feet against stone.

"Come on, Private. I told you not to follow me." he said, turning around.

Then a match lit on and he found himself facing Kowalski.

The tall penguin clicked a button and the manhole closed, leaving only light being Kowalski slowing dying match.

"That's a handy device you got there, Kowalski. I'd love too ask you questions about it, but I have my own. Two, really. One, how did you survive the explosion? Two, why did you kill Rico and Mort?"

Kowalski chuckled lightly. "You are smarter than I thought, Skipper. Anyways, for the first question. With all the training you've given me, I was quite able to untie myself and slip down into the secret entrance to the sewers before the bomb set off. Thus, creating the false reality that I was dead. Why did I murder Rico? That's something I can't tell you. Rico and I go way back. _Way _back. Why do you think I joined your team? I've been planning this for years. All this time, Skipper, you've been training a murderer."

Skipper pushed away the feelings of guilt, sadness and anger. He would nee to have a sharp mind. One wrong word, one wrong _step, _could set Kowalski off.

"Why did you kill Mort then?" Skipper asked.

"Well, you were going to get blamed pretty soon if I didn't step in. I may be a killer, but I'm still a friend. So if Mort got killed while you were talking, you wouldn't be the killer." Kowalski paused. "You do know, now that I've told you all this, I'm going to have to kill you?"

Skipper nodded grimly. That's when he saw movement behind Kowalski.

"Any last words, Skipper?" Kowalski asked.

"Yes. One, Kowalski, you're a great actor. I really believed you were about to die in the souvenir shop. Two… Private, now!"

Private leaped out of the darkness, and before Kowalski had time to even turn around, he clamped the crowbar down on Kowalski's head. The tall penguin dropped to the floor.

"Good work, Private!" Skipper gave the small penguin a high five.

"But what are we going to do with Kowalski?" Private said, looking down at the unconscious penguin.

"I don't know Private. But just be glad it's all over."

***

One more chapter to go! Then I'll finish the story I'm writing "King Kowalski" and post it too.

Note: Just because Kowalski is evil in this fanfiction doesn't mean he'll be in my others.

Fun Fact: Originally it was either Kowalski, Private or Skipper who was going to be killed and Rico who would be the killer. But I figured Kowalski would be an interesting killer.

~Lukos


	5. Gabriel And William

Skipper's POV:

It's been three months since Rico was killed. I was ready to lock Kowalski up and throw away the key, but Private had other ideas.

Today the new recruits are coming. I hear a knock at the door. They're here.

I open the door too find two penguins- one a little shorter then Rico and the other a little taller then myself.

The tall one's name is Gabriel, and the shorter one is William. I introduce them to my men.

"This is Private," I say. "He's my second in command and official captain of special operations."

William, who doesn't talk much, nods and smiles at Private. Gabriel shakes his flipper.

Then we turn to Kowalski, who is currently staring into blank space with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"This is Kowalski." I say. "He is a world class psychopath and loves to vomit up handy objects. Don't believe me? Rico, candy!"

Kowalski vomits up a bag of candy, then swallows it. William's eyes turn wide, while Gabriel seems a tad disgusted.

Yep. I switched Rico's dead brain with Kowalski's live one, which died in Rico's body. Don't ask how or why Rico's brain was still alive, but we have Rico back, and that's all I care about.

Then I see Gabriel eying Kowalski's old inventions, which are now squished into one corner. I don't know what half of them do, and I'd rather not have another head or get shrunk.

"How good are you with a notepad, Gabe?" I ask.

"I can draw a pretty fine rabbit and do some long division." Gabriel says.

I hand him Kowalski's old notepad. There's still a faded doodle of a penguin on it, possibly of Kowalski himself, though it looks more like Rico. I can't help but wondering what went through his sick mind as he drew this. Was he plotting the murder right there on the page? If had been quicker to figure it out, could I have saved lives? I don't know.

And Gabe is looking at his new notepad and I give him a crayon. And he starts drawing.

As for William, I notice him talking with Private. He seems like the caring type, perfect for Medic.

Whether Kowalski murdered Rico or not, whether it was me or Private or someone else who was killed, no matter how you look at it, the team will go on.

_Fin_

***

Yay, I'm done! I hope the ending was fulfilling. I felt it was a little strange that the put Rico's brain in Kowalski's body, but that's probably just me.

Till next time,

~Lukos


End file.
